Hindastry News - January 2013

Welcome to the latest issue of "Hindastry News" - Hinda's corporate newsletter.

"Hindastry News" brings you the latest on the happenings at Hinda.

This issue includes:

• Hinda Hits the Trade Show Scene! 
• Dave Peer talks about the IMA with Premium Incentive Products magazine
• Incentives to Encourage Employee Wellness
• Introducing our Newest Hinda Hires 

If you know someone who would benefit from receiving communications like this from Hinda, have them e-mail Alisa Schafer (aschafer@hinda.com) and ask to be added to the distribution list.

Also be sure to check out and subscribe to the Hinda Blog. 

Click here for the current issue of Hindastry News.

Dave Peer Talks to Premium Incentive Products about the Future of the IMA

“As we approach the end of the year, the IMA maintains its quest to inspire – through annual events such as the Motivation Show – and looks to 2013 and beyond with optimism, continuing its position as a promoter of the incentive industry,” says Deborah L. Vence, Associate Editor of Premium Incentive Products (PIP) magazine, at the beginning of her article “IMA Roundtable: Education and Partnerships are Vital for Incentive Industry Growth.”

Vence’s article in the November/December 2012 issue surveys top industry experts who are also IMA board members about what the IMA has to offer, and Hinda president Dave Peer – who is also the president of the IMA – weighed in.

According to her article, Vence states that, “…the Incentive Marketing Association [is] an organization that’s become known to many for imparting value to its members by offering education, research and networking opportunities, all while presenting resourceful ways to acknowledge employees, sales professionals, channel partners and customers.” And there’s no sign of this changing or slowing down in the coming year.

“A big benefit is the opportunity to exchange information with people who are experienced and who are facing the same challenges as you,” Peer says. “[There’s a] great deal of trust, so even competitors can get together and discuss things in a way that is mutually beneficial… One of the most important benefits is the annual IMA summit, which will be held in Denver in 2013. The Summit has emerged as one of the premier events in our industry where top talent is able to get together, attend workshops, exchange information and educate one another.”

Peer also says that that the IMA and its members are vital when it comes to lobbying the benefits of properly designed and managed reward programs with legislators in Washington, DC. The industry came under fire earlier this year with the GSA scandal, and the IMA and its members have taken pains in the aftermath to return the industry to a positive light and to stress the key initiatives of the IMA, which Peer says include ensuring the financial strength of the association, continuing to improve member benefits and communication and collaboration with industry trade groups to further generate awareness of the business.

“I’m confident about the future of our industry,” he says. “We’re seeing significant recovery from the Great Recession, and companies have recognized the need to engage and retain employees. There is also fierce competition in consumer loyalty… The IMA will remain the primary resource and advocate for all facets of the incentive industry but will adapt to change as the market does. The IMA services as the primary industry resource for education, research, advocacy and networking, and the association will evolve and continue to serve in this important role.”

Hindastry News - November 2012

Welcome to the latest issue of "Hindastry News" - Hinda's corporate newsletter.

"Hindastry News" brings you the latest on the happenings at Hinda.

This issue includes:

• 2012 Golden Carrot Awards
• Milestone Anniversary for One of our Employees - Celebrating 40 Years at Hinda!
• An Important Message from our President, Dave Peer
• New Employees and Recent Promotions
• Roundtable Recap 

If you know someone who would benefit in receiving communications like this from Hinda, have them e-mail Alisa Schafer (aschafer@hinda.com) and ask to be added to the distribution list.

Also be sure to check out and subscribe to the Hinda Blog. 

Click here for the current issue of Hindastry News.

Dave Peer Participates in Incentive Mag’s Annual Industry Roundtable

Dave Peer, Hinda’s president and current president of the Incentive Marketing Association (IMA), was invited to participate in “Incentive” magazine’s 11^th Annual Industry Roundtable, which took place this past spring in the boardroom of Apella™ in Midtown Manhattan. The Roundtable involves the insights and expertise of 11 top-notch players in the incentive industry. This year’s discussion centers on the return of incentives and the growing importance of ROI and wellness.

“We’re seeing some dramatic changes in redemption patterns,” Peer says about what’s popular in merchandise lately. “Electronics, for Hinda Incentives, is now the No. 2 redemption category. I’ve never seen that before; electronics was always on top, whereas household products like single-serve coffee makers, vacuums and so on, are now our No. 1 redemption category.”

Another key discussion point is gift cards and where they currently fall on the incentives spectrum. At Hinda, we are seeing a leveling off traditional gift cards as a rewards option, and Peer explains the three-fold reason for this.

“The first is, there’s a growing recognition by program sponsors that the gift cards’ economics are inferior to other reward options,” Peer explains. “The second thing is that the gift card in general has an inferior trophy value [compared to merchandise]. The final thing is the introduction and development of digital media – music downloads, movie downloads, book downloads – which are addressing a key space that gift cards occupied in an awards structure at the lower dollar value, the logistics, the ease [of use and administration].”

One of the questions posed to the panel states, “The industry learned the hard way to pay attention to politics in the last few years. What’s the outlook?” Peer refers to the recent GSA scandal and the IMA’s response as an example when he says, “We are trying to pull together various groups so that we can be more effective in Washington, so that we can be more proactive rather than reactive. That was recently reflected in our response to the General Services Administration scandal, where the wasteful expenditure of government money by amateurs really had a negative impact. We were able to get out there and respond quickly. There’s an ongoing effort, and we’re not done.”

Read the full Roundtable discussion in the September issue of “Incentive” magazine. In the meantime, watch videos of what the panelists had to say outside the boardroom at www.incentivemag.com.

IMA and The Motivation Show Join Forces with PPAI’s brand. in 2014

The Incentive Marketing Association (IMA) and The Motivation Show announced today that they will produce a new annual event in cooperation with PPAI’s brand. starting in 2014.  This new event, called The Motivation Show Las Vegas, will be sponsored by IMA and include a combined exhibit hall with brand. along with a conference program open to all users and resellers of incentive and recognition products and services.  PPAI’s brand., the promotional product industry’s most highly regarded incentive products showcase, is scheduled for January 15-17, 2014, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.

“The launch of The Motivation Show Las Vegas represents the results of an ongoing collaborative effort between the IMA and PPAI," said Dave Peer, CPIM, President of IMA and President of Hinda Incentives. "As leading organizations for our industry, we recognize that our combined efforts will produce a valuable showcase and education event for our market. Together we are all stronger and more effective.”   

According to Paul Bellantone, CAE, PPAI president and CEO, “We are honored to combine forces with the IMA to fully realize the potential of incentive and recognition products’ strengths in the industry. This strategic alliance will provide access and exposure to new markets in new ways while delivering greater value to our members. By combining PPAI’s brand. and The Motivation Show Las Vegas in one location, we have achieved another goal in fully realizing our vision to significantly enhance the show experience. This alliance will help bolster the category’s position in the market by offering new levels of connectivity to stakeholders like never before.”

IMA and The Motivation Show also announced that the dates of the 2013 trade show and conference in Chicago will move to May 6-8, 2014 (Pre-Show Education: May 6, Exhibits: May 7-8). The Motivation Show Chicago will continue to feature the incentive and recognition industry’s premiere conference program, along with an exhibit hall of the leading brand name merchandise, gift card and experiential reward suppliers.    

“We’re very excited about the opportunity to co-locate a new event with PPAI’s highly successful brand.," said Pete Erickson, Managing Director of The Motivation Show. "We’re anxious to provide the distributor community with an opportunity to learn more about how incentives can help them expand their product offering and capture new corporate business. 

“We also see this as a great opportunity for our community of incentive end-buyers and resellers in the Western states to have access to education, exhibits, and networking that has previously only been available in Chicago," Erickson continues. "We believe this co-location between IMA, The Motivation Show, and PPAI will be a catalyst to increasing the use of incentive rewards and promotional products throughout corporate America.”